Canadian Andre De Grasse, arguably the top rival to Usain Bolt, will miss the world track and field championships due to a strained right hamstring suffered Monday.
“Andre had his final starting blocks session in preparation for Friday’s 100m heats,” De Grasse’s agent said in a text message. “On his final run of the day, Andre pulled up with what he described as ‘a grab’ in his right hamstring.”
De Grasse, who earned Rio Olympic 100m bronze and 200m silver medals behind Bolt, saw Bolt’s German doctor on Tuesday. The doctor ruled De Grasse out of worlds with a grade II strain.
“The entire year this 100m race in London was my focus,” De Grasse said, according to his agent. “I am really in the best shape of my life and was looking forward to competing against the best in the world. To not have this opportunity is unimaginable to me, but it is the reality I am faced with. I am sad to miss this chance, but I am young and will be back and better than ever in the near future.”
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De Grasse ran the fastest 100m time of 2017, 9.69 seconds, but it didn’t count for ranking purposes because he had twice the legal tailwind.
De Grasse was due to run the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay at worlds in London and was a medal hope in all three events.
Without him, Bolt faces an easier path to gold medals at his final career meet in the 100m (Saturday on NBC) and 4x100m (Aug. 12 on NBC).
The 200m favorite is South African Wayde van Niekerk, seeking to become the second man to win both the 200m and 400m at a single worlds. Bolt is not racing the 200m.
Two weeks ago, De Grasse’s coach reportedly claimed Bolt had meet organizers exclude De Grasse from a 100m race in Monaco to make it easier for Bolt to win. The following day, Bolt’s team, a meet official and De Grasse denied it.
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